Family life fiction / Stories about family

Book Synopsis''A scorching portrayal of a woman''s life . . . the female, feminist counterpart to Things Fall Apart'' Bernardine Evaristo''God, when will you create a woman who will be fulfilled in herself, a full human being, not anybody''s appendage? ... when will I be free?''There is no greater honour for a woman in an Ibo village than to have children - especially sons. Unable to conceive in her first marriage, Nnu Ego is sent away to a new husband in the city of Lagos, where she finally succeeds in becoming a mother. But things are changing, and a war that unfolds thousands of miles away threatens her family''s fortunes and her entire way of life. In a world where motherhood is everything, what will be left for her at the end of it all?''Sparkling intelligence and a certain kind of honest, lived, intimate insight into working-class colonial Nigeria'' Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieTrade ReviewI read and admired all her books ... The book I adored most was The Joys of Motherhood, for its sparkling intelligence and a certain kind of honest, lived, intimate insight into working-class colonial Nigeria -- Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieA scorching portrayal of a woman's life in pre-independence Nigeria . . . should be up there as the female, feminist counterpart to Chinua Achebe's celebrated and widely taught novel Things Fall Apart -- Bernardine EvaristoA rich, multilayered work of fiction, full of drama and written with deceptive simplicity * Essence *Writes with subtlety, power, and abundant compassion * New York Times *Fresh and relevant . . . expertly and sensitively shines a light on the distortion of traditional values -- Lola Jaye * Lit Hub *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the Booker-shortlisted author of To Rise Again at a Decent Hour comes a hilarious novel about fathers, sons, thwarted dreams and confronting the reality of who we really are''This is a fine American novel about family, love, and a decent but flawed man trying to be better. In dark times like these, I can''t recommend this book too highly. It''s strong'' Stephen King on Twitter___________________________________Charlie Barnes is a mid-century man devoted to his newspaper and his landline. But Charlie is about to get dragged into our troubled age by his storyteller son, who has a different idea of him than he has of himself. Then there are his other children, his ex-wives, present wife, business clients, friends and acquaintances, all of whom have their competing opinions of Charlie.He certainly seems simple enough: he''s a striver, a romantic, and a thoroughgoing capitalist. But suddenly blindsidTrade ReviewA hilarious skewering of the American Dream by the man who must be the funniest writer we have -- Sathnam Sanghera * Guardian, Best Books of 2021 *This is a fine American novel about family, love, and a decent but flawed man trying to be better. In dark times like these, I can't recommend this book too highly -- Stephen KingSplendid . . . it is hard to be genuinely funny in a novel but the final 50 or so pages, in which Charlie's family confront Jake Barnes, the fourth wall-breaking narrator of the novel, over the content of the tell-all memoir, was easily the most hilarious chapter of a novel I read all year -- Martin Chilton * Independent, 20 Best Books of 2021 *Until I read A Calling For Charlie Barnes, Joshua Ferris's virtuosic third novel, I couldn't recall the last time a book caused me to both laugh and gasp aloud. Madly funny and bristling with intelligence, this is the story of a man in later life wallowing in the detritus of the American Dream and of the children witnessing his decline -- Megan Nolan * New Statesman, Books of the Year *Simultaneously narratively courageous and utterly hilarious . . . where it leaves the reader feels special and unique * Sunday Times *In Ferris's admirably risk-taking hands, this novel becomes so much more than simply another story of failed American dreams. Ferris has made himself into the leading writer of the American workplace . . . He understands both its absurdities (and this is another very funny book) and its rewards, but most of all he understands how it shapes modern America * Observer *Ferris could write enthralling realist fiction in his sleep but it's the ideas and formal ingenuity that really set this novel apart . . . [he considers] the role of storytelling in families, the myths we create and the possibility that there is no such thing as telling it straight * i *Brilliant, funny, heartbreaking . . . Family, memory, ambition and death, all told with dervishing glee. Not just a daredevil of a novel, but something truly new -- Andrew Sean Greer, author of LessFerris is on his finest deadpan form here, skewering contemporary America and the shallow values it embodied in the heat of the 2008 financial crash * Spectator *Inventive and witty, tender and wise. It's a portrait of life, love and death, and much else besides * Daily Mail *This is the story of one disappointed idealist told by another, of one unreliable narrator described by another, and it is animated by filial love . . . funny, moving - and surprising * Guardian *This novel is funny - Ferris has lovely comic timing and a great way with the sheer silliness of a family's mental and physical bric-a-brac - and very moving * Guardian *Dazzling . . . A more tender novel than Ferris's others, but that doesn't keep it from being murderously funny . . . [he has found] precisely the right way to meld memoir with satire, to do this with bracing originality and to keep heads spinning from this novel's first page to its last . . . he's risen to the top of his game * New York Times *Funny, moving, and formally a work of genius, A Calling for Charlie Barnes is quite literally the book Joshua Ferris was born to write. -- Garth Risk Hallberg, author of City on FireDazzling. Mind-blowing. About as much fun as you can have without risking arrest * Richard Russo, author of Empire Falls *A deeply funny, very moving book . . . Ferris's hijinks are serious; his play is profound. There is magic in these pages -- Ayad Akhtar, author of Homeland ElegiesA touching tale about the love between fathers and sons * The Times *A passionate, well-constructed, often hilarious and, at times, profound plunge into grief, both civic and intimate, as well as a culmination (so far) of the literary explorations he has been undertaking since he arrived -- Sam Lipsyte * New York Times Book Review *A Calling for Charlie Barnes is wonderful: fast and deep, urgent and brilliant . . . A hilarious, intimate, and scathing takedown of so many American vanities -- Dana Spiotta, author of Stone ArabiaHe has proved that he's one of the best American authors of comic fiction working today. His humour is on full display but so are his intelligence and compassion. It's a masterpiece that shines a revealing light on both family and fiction itself * NPR *Ferris's work cuts to the heart of who we are by focusing very painfully on who one man was . . . Consider this book not just a work of grief or love or memoir, then, but a work of hope, too. * Publishers Weekly *A warmly bullish but measured and reflectful voice that brings out all the humour and wisdom of the novel * The Times, Audiobook of the Week *Intriguing and intelligent . . . the humour throughout is exquisitely judged . . . and the descent into metafiction, the novel's true crowning glory, is extremely well done without ever feeling hammy or clunky * Irish Times *A relentlessly self-reflective book * FT *Joshua Ferris has proved his astonishing ability to spin gold from ordinary air . . . As brave and adept as any writer out there * New York Times Book Review on To Rise Again at a Decent Hour *Not too many authors have written the Great American Office Novel... Then We Came to the End feels like a readymade classic of the genre. . . . A truly affecting novel about work, trust, love, and loneliness * Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times on Then We Came to the End *Dismayingly funny in the way that only really serious books can be * Guardian, on 'To Rise Again at a Decent Hour' *Brilliant, funny, stomach-turningly accurate * Observer, on 'Then We Came to the End' *Very funny, intense and exhilarating * The Times, on 'Then We Came to the End' *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERPRE-ORDER THE NEWEST NOVEL BY KEVIN KWAN, LIES AND WEDDINGS: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lies-Weddings-Kevin-Kwan/dp/1529152844'Flashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read' USA TodayNicholas Young's grandmother Su Yi is on her deathbed. While he rushes to be by her bedside, he's not the only one. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch's massive fortune. With all parties vying to inherit a trophy estate in the heart of Singapore, Nicholas's childhood home turns into a hotbed of sabotage and scandal.Taking us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, Kevin Kwan's final installment in this irresistible trilogy reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.Trade ReviewFlashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read. * USA Today *Kevin Kwan has done it again. Mastermind ... [is] back at it with the series final installment ... Rest assured, it's just as enthralling as the trilogy's first two volumes. * InStyle *I gobbled all three volumes of Kevin Kwan's gossipy, name-droppy and wickedly funny Crazy Rich Asians trilogy as if they were popcorn. (Really fresh, still-warm popcorn, with that good European butter ... but I digress.) ... Irresistible. * The Seattle Times *Your next hit of over-the-top couture drama ... The perfect indulgent long-weekend read. * Elle.com *Something for everyone ... A smorgasbord of rich delights. * New York Journal of Books *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Funny and barbed, and the twists at the end had me shocked’ MONICA HEISEY, author of Really Good, ActuallyWIFE. HUSBAND. BEST FRIEND. What if your two favourite people hated each other with a passion?A nice house, a carefree life, a doting husband, a best friend who never leaves your side. What more could you ask for? There's just one problem: your husband and best friend love you, but they hate each other.Set over a single day, husband, wife and best friend Temi toe the lines of compromise and betrayal. Told in three parts, three people's lives, and their visions of themselves and one another begin to slowly unravel, until a startling discovery throws everyone's integrity into question.'Dazzling, dextrous and droll, this millennial noir is a taut exploration of culture and the politics of relationships’ BOLU BABALOLA, author of Love in Colour'Sharp, astute... Packs a serious punch' YOMI ADEGOKE, author of The List'Wickedly enjoyable' NAOISE DOLAN, author of Exciting Times'Has that elusive Sally Rooney style of writing' STYLISTTrade ReviewSharp, astute and wickedly funny - Ore Agbaje-Williams' sharp wit and perfectly realised protagonists make for a taut, darkly comic read that packs a serious punch -- Yomi Adegoke, author of THE LISTA funny, terrifically entertaining read * Daily Mail *A treat of a debut. Agbaje-Williams has a gift of gliding between the sharpest driest humour and damning emotional revelations that incisively exposes the vulnerabilities, fallacies and messiness that line the relationships with those we are closest to. Dazzling, dextrous and droll, this millennial noir is a taut exploration of culture and the politics of relationships -- Bolu Babalola, author of LOVE IN COLOURDeftly plotted and wickedly enjoyable... I tore through this, and you will, too. The triad of voices seems to flow spontaneously, but is intricately assembled to result in maximum drama -- Naoise Dolan, author of EXCITING TIMESOre Agbaje-Williams has that elusive Sally Rooney style of writing: it seems simple and easy to do but is incredibly difficult to pull off... Enjoy * Stylist *Unique and completely captivating, The Three of Us absorbed me. When I finished I wanted to go back and read it from the beginning again -- Annie Lord, author of NOTES ON HEARTBREAKAn astute, composed and quietly hilarious observation of identity, marriage and friendship from a unique storyteller -- Diana Evans, author of ORDINARY PEOPLESwitching points of view among the three, this debut is viciously funny, different than anything you’ve read lately, and at the same time, strangely relatable * Oprah Daily *Taut and precise, as honest as it is hilarious, I consumed The Three of Us in a single sitting. Not to be missed -- Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of OPEN WATERRich, dazzling and deeply possessive... At just 192 pages, The Three of Us is as short and sharp as a paring knife * Washington Post *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Evocative, emotional and heart-stoppingly romantic' Cathy Bramley The one that she wants...Adam Bowers; handsome, funny and with the charm of a rock star, from the moment she laid eyes on him, teenage Erin was smitten. But first loves don’t always last, and after a whirlwind romance, Erin and Adam go their separate ways. Yet, Erin never lets go of the feeling that Adam may have been her soul mate...The one that she needs...Greg fell in love with Erin in their first week at university. Solid, trustworthy and hopelessly devoted to Erin, he knows he's better for her than the feckless Adam, who is forever leaving Erin broken-hearted, before winning her back with his charm. As far as Greg is concerned, it’s easy to promise the world, but it’s harder to love someone for a lifetime.The one that got away...Years later Greg and Erin are married, and although life hasn’t always been easy, Greg’s love for Erin has never dimmed. But when Adam comes back, in desperate need of Erin's help, everything changes. Erin starts to wonder whether fate is trying to tell her something…Will Erin risk it all for the man she had thought was ‘The One’?From the author of the bestselling Before We Grow Old, Clare Swatman. A Love to Last a Lifetime is for anyone who had a first love, a lost love or a love that lasted forever. Perfect for all fans of Sophie Cousens, David Nicholls and Josie Silver.Reader Reviews for A Love to Last a Lifetime:'What happens when you bump into "the one that got away"...at a point when your marriage is starting to slide? It's such a great idea for a story and I really enjoyed this book' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review'Another book from Clare Swatman that does not disappoint! Easy to get into, easy to lose yourself in. Win win!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review'A moving and compelling story, engaging, emotionally complex, and a difficult subject handled sensitively and with great authenticity' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader ReviewPraise for Clare Swatman:'I loved The Night We First Met by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells'The Night We First Met is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader… and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'The Night We First Met is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp'The Night We First Met is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper'The Night We First Met' is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan

Read more less

Book Synopsis30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION, WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY THE AUTHORThe lyrical, timeless tale of the Lisbon sisters, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Middlesex and The Marriage Plot.The five Lisbon sisters beautiful, eccentric and, now, gone had always been a point of obsession for the entire neighbourhood.Although the boys that once loved them from afar have grown up, they remain determined to understand a tragedy that has defied explanation. The question persists why did all five of the Lisbon girls take their own lives?This mesmerising tale of sex and suicide that transforms and mythologises middle-American life announced the arrival of one of the greatest American novelists of the last thirty years.A flare from my own secret world, all the inchoate longings and obsessions of being a teenager somehow rendered into book form' Emma Cline, author of The GirlsTrade Review‘One of the finest novels in many years – a Catcher in the Rye for our time' Observer ‘Eccentric, amusing, moving … Eugenides’s assured mixture of heartfelt nostalgia and dark humour makes for a mesmerising read’ Independent ‘A flare from my own secret world, all the inchoate longings and obsessions of being a teenager somehow rendered into book form’ Emma Cline, author of The Girls 'Entire and unstoppable … a sparkling work' The Times ‘Eugenides is blessed with the storyteller's most magical gift, the ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary’ New York Times ‘Uncannily evokes the wry voice of adolescence and a mixture of curiosity, lust, tenderness, morbidity, cynicism and naivety surrounding these bizarre events’ Wall Street Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author behind the addictive, award-winning HBO sensation BIG LITTLE LIES comes the compelling and thought-provoking story of love, life and memory''Gripping, thought-provoking and funny'' MARIE CLAIRE______________How can ten years of your life just disappear?Alice is twenty-nine.She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house.She''s newly engaged to the wonderful Nick, and is pregnant with her first baby. But there''s just one problem.That was ten years ago . . .Alice slipped in her step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade.Now she''s a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn''t speaking to her.This is her life, but not as she knows it.Just how many mistakes can you make in a decade?Can she ever get back to the woman she uTrade ReviewA real page-turner that leaves you to wonder, if you met your long-term partner for the first time now, would you still fall in love with them? * Woman's Weekly *A funny, thought-provoking, acutely observed romantic comedy * Marie Claire *Funny and knowing about what we choose to remember, and fight to forget * O Magazine *Funny and captivating * Closer *A bittersweet tale by a gifted writer * Woman's Weekly *Highly addictive * She *An often funny, sometimes heartrending, deeply personal portrait of a woman attempting to unravel her own mystery * Booklist *A call to embrace life * Easy Living *Praise for Liane Moriarty * - *Every single one of her books is a great read * E! Online *Staggeringly brilliant, literally unputdownable -- Sophie HannahKeeps you guessing until the very end - perfect summer read -- Reese WitherspoonMoriarty writes vividly, wittily and wickedly * Sunday Express *The writing is beautiful: sometimes funny, sometimes sad but always compelling * Good Housekeeping *Like drinking a pink cosmo laced with arsenic . . . a fun, engaging and sometimes disturbing read * USA Today *Riveting drama packed with suspense and secrets * Woman & Home *Wise, honest, beautifully observed. One of the few writers I'll drop anything for -- Jojo MoyesStraight-from-life characters, knife-sharp insight and almost unbearable suspense will have you racing through it * Good Housekeeping *Perfect * Hello! *A hell of a good book. Funny and scary -- Stephen KingA cracking story cleverly told * Fabulous *Fascinating and compassionate * Daily Telegraph *A funny, thought-provoking, acutely observed romantic comedy * Marie Claire *A bittersweet tale by a gifted writer * Women's Weekly *The writing is beautiful: sometimes funny, sometimes sad but always compelling * Good Housekeeping *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA haunting and tragicomic tale of the end of childhood, Annie John is told with Jamaica Kincaid’s trademark candour and complexity, and is a true coming-of-age classic.An adored only child growing up in Antigua, Annie has until recently lived a peaceful and content life. She is inseparable from her beautiful mother, a powerful and influential presence, who sits at the very centre of the little girl’s existence. Loved and cherished, Annie grows and thrives within her mother’s shadow.When she turns twelve, however, Annie’s life changes, in ways that are often mysterious to her. She begins to question the cultural assumptions of her island world; at school she makes rebellious friends and frequently challenges authority; and most frighteningly, her mother, seeing Annie as a ‘young lady’, ceases to be the source of unconditional adoration and takes on the new and unfamiliar guise of adversary.Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.Trade ReviewSo touching and familiar it could be happening to any of us . . . and that's exactly the book's strength, its wisdom, its truth * The New York Times Book Review *What a writer – elegant, uncompromising, simultaneously direct and layered and complex. -- Ali SmithSo neon-bright that the traditional story of a young girl's passage into adolescence takes on a shimmering strangeness -- Elaine Kendall * Los Angeles Times *An unaffectedly sumptuous, irresistible writer. . . thrilling -- Susan SontagI’ve read everything by Jamaica Kincaid, and I’ve still never read anyone like her. If you are new to Kincaid, I envy you. -- Jackie Kay

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A MASTERFULLY WRITTEN SERIES' Ashley Audrain 'GRABS YOU ON THE FIRST PAGE' Laura Dave Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband… Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife Nina thinks he is blowing off steam somewhere after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found. Nina’s friend Lily thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for Jake, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Nita Prose and Freida McFadden 'Prepare for a wild ride' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wonderfully well written' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Had me hooked until the end' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Praise for Mary Kubica ‘Brilliantly propulsive and engrossing’ JP DELANEY ‘A twisty rollercoaster ride’ LISA GARDNER ‘Seductive and unpredictable’ KARIN SLAUGHTERTrade Review“Just the Nicest Couple is Mary Kubica at her twisty, mysterious best. Every character brims with secrets. Every page holds a surprise. It's entirely unputdownable and everything a reader is looking for in their next read.” —Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Younger Wife “You won’t know who to trust in Just the Nicest Couple, a domestic thrill-ride which grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go until you reach the end. A riveting tale about marriage, trust, and secrets, this is Mary Kubica at her best.” —Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me "In Just the Nicest Couple, Mary Kubica is writing at the top of her game. She wastes no time dropping her characters into an impossible situation and then ratchets up the tension, one twist after another, until the last, shocking conclusion. Just the Nicest Couple is propulsive, addictive, and impossible to put down. But be warned: nothing — and no one — is as they seem." —Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight "Rich with detail and a mounting, almost suffocating sense of dread, Just the Nicest Couple is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we’ll go to protect the ones we love." —Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here “Mary Kubica’s Just the Nicest Couple is a masterfully written thriller about deception where we least expect it and the danger of a lie tumbling out of control. Taut and incredibly suspenseful, every moment is perfectly crafted to keep us wanting more. An engrossing, spine-tingling read! —Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

Read more less

Book SynopsisNastily good fun' MetroSET TO BECOME A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING ELIZABETH MOSSShirley Jackson meets Ottessa Moshfegh meets My Sister the Serial Killer in a brilliantly unsettling and darkly funny debut novel full of suspense and paranoiaGeorge March's latest novel is a smash hit. None could be prouder than Mrs. March, his dutiful wife, who revels in his accolades and relishes the lifestyle and status his success brings.A creature of routine and decorum, Mrs. March lives an exquisitely controlled existence on the Upper East Side. Every morning begins the same way, with a visit to her favourite patisserie to buy a loaf ofolive bread, but her latest trip proves to be her last when she suffers an indignity from which she may never recover: an assumption by the shopkeeper that the protagonist in George March's new book a pathetic sex worker, more a figure of derision than desire is based on Mrs. March.One casual remark robs Mrs. March not only of her beloved olive bread but of the belTrade Review‘I read Mrs March in one sitting and was so captured by it … As a character, [Mrs March] is fascinating, complex, and deeply human’ Elisabeth Moss ‘Feito nods deftly to her forebears – there are shades of Hitchcock and Highsmith here … while the opening chapter puts one in mind of Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway … Nastily good fun’ Claire Allfree, Metro ‘Virginia Feito’s noirish debut novel left me rapt, gleefully ambivalent about her eponymous protagonist: did I like her? Did I find her funny? Did I want to hug her? Was I bit a scared of her? Did I relate to her? To all of the above: yes … an elegant, claustrophobic psychological thriller that feels incredibly original’ Evening Standard ‘What a rancid little book, I absolutely loved it’ Alice Slater ‘The atmosphere of queasy foreboding is compelling, as is the portrayal of a flawed, troubled and complex individual trying to keep it together while coming apart at the seams’ Economist ‘A brilliantly tense psychological study from a writer who keeps pace with the grandees she invokes – Du Maurier, for one … Feito has done that most horrible, wonderful and truly novelistic of things: she has seen right through Mrs March and into the shameful, petty, maggoty secrets that everybody carries’ Guardian 'A delicious, disorienting study of suspicion, societal pressure and shifting identities, brilliantly rendered. I swallowed this tale down as greedily as if it were Mrs. March's beloved olive bread' Rachel Edwards, author of Darling ‘Gloriously grotesque: tormented by the desire for glossy magazine perfection; cruelly judgemental; frantic to believe the world revolves around her. And yet Feito makes her guilt-inducingly relatable…The gothic awfulness of her predicament reminds you of Ottessa Moshfegh’s grand guignol creations and lurid descriptive talents; Shirley Jackson’s claustrophobic horror’ The Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe gloriously funny comfort read from the author of A Grand Old TimeYou're never too old to live dangerously All Georgie Turner wants is to keep her family together. But with her daughter growing up fast, her sister married to a man Georgie hates, and their aging aunt getting more and more outrageous, nothing's simple.So when her brother-in-law makes his biggest mistake yet, Georgie sees the chance to reunite the ladies in her life. And after a little persuasion, three generations of Turner women head off on a very unusual road trip. Georgie's confident that some sun, sea and a bottle or two of prosecco will make this an adventure they'll never forget.What could possibly go wrong?A gorgeously fun and uplifting novel about living your life to the full, whatever your age. Perfect for fans of Dawn French and Fern Britton.Authors love Judy Leigh's books: Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting' Miranda Dickinson''Lovely a book that assures that life is far from over at seventy'' CathyTrade ReviewPraise for Judy Leigh: ‘Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting’ – Miranda Dickinson 'Lovely . . . a book that assures that life is far from over at seventy' – Cathy Hopkins, bestselling author of The Kicking the Bucket List ’Brimming with warmth, humour and a love of life… a wonderful escapade’ – Fiona Gibson, bestselling author of The Woman Who Upped and Left

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis slow-burning story is set in the rural "badlands" of Northern Ontario, where tragedy and hardship are mirrored in the landscape. It is a universal drama of family love and misunderstandings, of resentments harboured and driven underground.Trade ReviewBeautifully written, carefully balanced, Mary Lawson constructs a history of sacrifice, emotional isolation and family love without sounding a false note * Daily Mail *Full of blossoming insights and emotional acuity...a compelling and serious page-turner * Observer *Lawson's evocative storytelling...knows just how to draw the reader on...this is a novel of disappointed hopes and self-delusion, but it has a feel-good finish. Move over Lake Wobegon * Spectator *A novel of a darkly unpredictable and compelling kind. It is a wise book * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe companion novel to Mrs Bridge, this is a pitch-perfect portrayal of marriage and family life and a poignant dissection of the unexamined life.Walter Bridge, husband to India and father to three, is a successful lawyer in a Kansas suburb. The daily dramas of his life only serve to illuminate his narrow prejudices and complacent outlook, yet he is also troubled by existential doubts, dark undercurrents of desire and a yearning for something forever out of his reach. In Mr Bridge, Evan S. Connell gives us a moving, satirical and poetic portrayal of a man who cannot escape his limitations and of a couple growing old together but unable, ultimately, to connect.The companion novel, Mrs Bridge, telling the story from the other side of the marriage, is published in Penguin Modern Classics.''With a delicate and subtle irony, Mr Connell shows us, first from her, then from his point of view, the little daily dramas of this ordinary family. ITrade ReviewAn exquisite tragedy in miniature -- Lionel ShriverMr Bridge is a tour-de-force of contemporary American realism, a beautiful work of fiction * Life *With a delicate and subtle irony, Mr Connell shows us, first from her, then from his point of view, the little daily dramas of this ordinary family. It is very, very funny, often moving and sad, and written with an uncompromising realism that one rarely comes across. To me the Bridges were a revelation: I cannot recommend them too highly * Daily Telegraph *Mr. and Mrs. Bridge are forever human, forever vulnerable, forever pitiable. In spare, whimsical, ironic prose, Connell exposes each and every one of their wrinkles and then, in the end, offers them to us as human beings to be cherished -- Jonathan Yardley

Read more less

Book SynopsisA mesmerising breakthrough novel of family myths and inheritances by the award-winning author of CrescentTrade Review"Fencing With the King... is a rare pleasure. Abu-Jaber’s rich characters live and breathe around you, and her nuance and wit bring the largest themes to irresistible, present life." -- Claire Messud, author of A Burning Girl"The best novel I’ve read all year: shimmering prose, compelling emotion, and utterly impossible to put down. Rarely has the terroir of ancestry been so masterfully evoked. Abu-Jaber’s best yet." -- Nicole Mones, author of The Last Chinese Chef"Diana Abu Jaber outdoes herself with this brilliantly paced and utterly absorbing novel. From start to finish, her dynamic prose and seemingly effortless storytelling create an original narrative of love, intrigue, and family/global dynamics." -- Laila Halaby, author of Once in a Promised Land"I read...Fencing With the King in one sitting – I couldn’t stop. Ambitious, vivid, compelling, and full of life, this rich family story tells so many truths and uses family myths and fables to explore complex history, intergenerational trauma, and the wounds of exile and displacement." -- Etaf Rum, author of A Woman is No Man"[The author] approaches Middle Eastern modernity with a profluent storytelling style. I have long admired Abu-Jaber’s craftsmanship... Like an intricate recipe, her paragraphs balance interior and external worlds, elegant diction and workmanlike narrative." -- Sarah Cypher - The Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisSuspenseful and mesmerizing, This Was a Man is the seventh and final novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer's the Clifton Chronicles an epic and poignant conclusion. Harry Clifton is set to write his magnum opus, and as he reflects on his days, the lives of his family continue to unfold, unravel and intertwine in ways no one could have imagined.Harry's wife Emma completes her ten years as Chairman of the Bristol Royal Infirmary when she receives a surprise call from Margaret Thatcher.In Whitehall, Giles Barrington discovers the truth about his wife, but is she a pawn in a larger game? Sebastian Clifton finds himself in a new role after an unexpected resignation and his talented daughter, Jessica, goes to art school but gets into trouble. Can her aunt help?Lady Virginia is about to flee the country to avoid her creditors when the death of a duchess gives her another opportunity to clear her debts and finally trump the two families.The epic saga that has charted the lives, loves and adventures of the Clifton and Barrington families reaches its stunning conclusion in this, the final heart-stopping volume from the master storyteller, Jeffrey Archer.Trade ReviewArcher puts his entire formidable bag of storytelling tricks into this last in the series * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE BREATHTAKING RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB SELECTION, SUNDAY TIMES AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ABOUT MOTHERHOOD AND OBSESSION . . .OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE''Utterly addictive'' PAULA HAWKINS''Compulsive'' VOGUE''Gripping'' GUARDIAN''Inventive'' SUNDAY TIMES''Suspenseful'' HEAT''Not to be missed'' LISA JEWELL________Blythe and Violet. Mother and daughter.It''s a bond like no other.But what if your little angel is a monster?And what if no one sees it but you?________AS RECOMMENDED ON BBC RADIO 2**Nominated for two Goodreads Choice Awards**''Like The Girl on the Train - but better!'' DAILY MAIL''A blockbusting debut about the dark side of motherhood. Gripping, clever, vividly realised . . . the ending left me flabbergasted'' Trade ReviewUtterly addictive -- Paula HawkinsThe mother of all thrillers! Like The Girl on the Train - but better! * Daily Mail *A gripping debut that explores and manipulates the fears and insecurities of mothers everywhere . . . Well thought out, vividly realised and gripping * Guardian *An inventive twist on the psychological thriller formula . . . Audrain sustains the suspense expertly through assured handling of her unravelling protagonist's voice * Sunday Times *Ashley dares us to find the relatable in the worst we can imagine . . . the knife-edge between relatability and horror keeps the reader hooked * Grazia *I was gripped from the first word to the last. I've been wanting a book to take me back to how I felt when I first read We Need to Talk About Kevin. When you close the book but can't function until you know how it ends ... I really recommend this one -- Dawn O'PorterI was gripped . . . dazzling and gloriously complete -- Daisy BuchananThe Push was a poetic, propulsive read that set my nerves jangling in both horror and recognition. I read it one sitting and it stayed with me for days afterwards. Not to be missed -- Lisa JewellA compelling, compulsively readable thriller that never lets up and will keep you guessing right to the very last page * Daily Express *Powerful and immersive -- Emma Stonex, author of The LamplightersI was completely engrossed in The Push from the very first page. So tense, so all-encompassing! It's a jet-black story of motherhood, inheritance and expectations, and I loved it -- Abigail Dean, author of Girl AA provocative, compulsive novel about modern motherhood * Vogue *This has all the hallmarks of a best seller . . . Riveting . . . An intelligent, painstaking and thought-provoking account of parenting that will move anyone * Daily Mail *A bold exploration of motherhood, as well as a suspenseful thriller, this will have you in its grips from the very first page - and will stay with you long after you've put it down. Do not miss * Heat, 'Book of the Week' *I read it in two nights . . . it's giving us The Girl On The Train, it's giving us We Need to Talk About Kevin, it's going to be one of the books of the year . . . it has absolutely blown me away . . . it will spark conversation and divide people . . . I can't stop thinking and talking about it -- Candice Brathwaite * BBC Radio 2 *With its riveting prose and deep convictions, Ashley Audrain's The Push had me in its clutches from the first page. Audrain's astute portrayal of motherhood was unsettling in its insights, yet highly entertaining on the page. Complex, nuanced, and unflinching, I inhaled this debut in one sitting -- Karma Brown * bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife *Audrain nimbly stokes the mystery as to whether nature or nurture is at play in Violet's increasingly hostile disposition. Executed with gripping precision * New York Times *Starkly original and compulsively readable, Ashley Audrain's The Push is a deep dive into the darkest nooks and crannies of motherhood. Raw, visceral, and often disturbing, this is an intense psychological drama that will be embraced by serious book clubs and fans of Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin -- Kristin HannahYou're drawn into this world . . . it is a difficult read but no wonder it's a cause celebre in the publishing world, trust me everyone wants this book . . . a publishing sensation -- Nihal Arthanayake * BBC Radio 5 Live *I was totally hooked. Compelling, addictive, chilling. Smashing read -- Elizabeth MacnealThe most thought-provoking exploration of motherhood I've come across since We Need to Talk About Kevin -- Clare PooleyThe Push is a freight train of a read - it barrels into you and propels you along, taking you places you're not sure you want to go. I found it disturbing, upsetting, and utterly compelling -- Beth Morrey, author of Saving MissyIntensely absorbing, gripping until the final page, The Push excavates the myths of motherhood, deftly exploring the shape-shifting landscape of parenting, the powerful impact of the past on the present, and the deep unease of our inability to ever fully know even those we hold the closest -- Kim Edwards, bestselling author of The Memory Keeper's DaughterSuspenseful with extreme We Need To Talk About Kevin vibes, this is the Book Club Book that'll have everyone talking next year * Grazia *Stayed up too late finishing [Audrain's] deeply unsettling The Push about the darkest reaches of motherhood . . . Visceral, provocative, compulsive, and with the most graphic and relatable description of childbirth I've read (or written) -- Sarah Vaughan, bestselling author of Anatomy of a ScandalI loved it - such a dark and compelling exploration of motherhood. Absolutely haunting: a brilliant, thought-provoking page-turner -- Caroline LeaThe Push is written on the edge of a knife. It's a howl in the face of what we think we know - or want to believe - about motherhood. Relentlessly compelling, distressing and beautiful, Ashley Audrain's debut is the next Gone Girl, with shades of We Need to Talk About Kevin. I devoured it whole -- Marissa Stapley, bestselling author of The Last ResortThe Push is not a book you'll be able to forget easily . . . an unputdownable story that will be the book everyone is talking about in 2021 * Grazia *Compelling, beautifully written and wickedly entertaining... A tremendously thought-provoking read -- Liz Nugent, author of Little Cruelties and Lying in WaitAstonishingly good. Beautifully written, gripping, disturbing -- Jane Fallon, author of Queen BeeA tense and unsettling thriller that's immersive, chilling, and provocative. A book that's best read in one sitting -- Iain Reid, author of I'm Thinking of Ending ThingsAshley Audrain's The Push is not only a propulsively entertaining, read-in-one-sitting novel, it is also a deeply provocative and fearless look at motherhood written in some of the prettiest prose you'll read all year -- Aimee Molloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect MotherWritten with a courage that borders on audacity, and with uncanny emotional and psychological precision, Ashley Audrain's The Push is a taut, tour-de-force literary thriller that draws you in from the very first pages and plunges you into the most harrowing of journeys: parenthood -- Bill Clegg, New York Times bestselling author of Did You Ever Have A Family?A meteoric debut. Ashley Audrain's The Push is a force of nature, an unforgettable arrival that will linger in your heart--shimmer, darken and then haunt you. Every sentence is just so achingly alive. Audrain descends with near pointillistic precision into the gore of motherhood and love. Perhaps if Stephen King had experienced motherhood--the singular exaltation and morbid terror of that state--he might have been able to dream up this book. Wise, monstrous, and tender, The Push operates at a different frequency. It seemed to pulse in my hands. I could not put it down. I could not look away -- Claudia Dey, author of Heartbreaker and StuntOne to watch ... The Push is told from the point of view of Blythe Connor, whose experience of motherhood is not what she hoped for * The Bookseller *Staggering - it is an intoxicating rush of a book that grips you tight from the first few pages and will not let you go * Cambridge Edition *Most anticipated books of 2021 'Pre-order now and thank yourself later' * Marie Claire *A thrilling debut * Harper's Bazaar, This Winter's Best New Releases from Rising Novelists *The Push is a vivid and complex spiral of questioning your grasp on reality, of uttering unspeakable thoughts, when the world tells you it's all in your head. Book blurbs often say they'll be devoured in one sitting - it's rare it proves so true * The Skinny *Suspenseful, dark and intriguing . . . It's going to be a big discussion point in 2021 * Stylist, Book to Watch 2021 *A haunting tale about the expectations and reality of motherhood. Stunning . . . You end up staying up all night to finish The Push * E! Online *Visceral, compulsive and astonishing. I could not put this down -- Raynor Winn, bestselling author of The Salt Path'Best books to look forward to in 2021' * Cosmopolitan *The chilling novel that caused a bidding frenzy more than lives up to the hype * Red Online *A terrifying, psychological suspense tale of motherhood and nature versus nurture * Sunday Mirror *This chilling tale barrels along towards a dark, thought-provoking ending * Good Housekeeping *The tense, gripping novel - which, after a nine-way bidding war, has already been optioned for film by the producer of ugly-cry-inducing Marriage Story - will stay with you long after you finish the last page * Refinery29 *This psychological family drama will be your next one-sit read . . . you won't want to miss it * Silversurfers *A creepy, nuanced story that, with a growing sense of dread, subverts the ideals of motherhood so often presented as inviolable * Publishers Association *Buckle up for a riveting read . . . will have you alternately whizzing through the pages to see what happens next, and reading slowly with widened eyes * Prima, 'My Book of the Month' *[An] exploration of love, obsession and the dark truths of motherhood * Cosmopolitan, Best Books 2021 *Reminiscent of We Need to Talk About Kevin, Ashley Audrain has delivered a provocative, compulsive novel about modern motherhood * Vogue UK *Compelling . . . A disturbing and complex tale about dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships. It's not always an easy read but it's absolutely one you won't be able to put down * Culturefly *Included in 'Books for 2021' * Sun *The mother of all thrillers! Like The Girl on the Train - but better! * Daily Mail *Utterly mesmerising. Ashley Audrain's powerful debut novel explores the challenges of motherhood and the terrifying isolation of being trapped within a sinister truth that no-one else believes. -- Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Beekeeper's PromiseOne of the most anticipated novels of this year . . . fast-paced, it has the ability to distract you from anything. Exactly what we need right now * Grazia *Written with an unflinching eye and a stylistically sharp, tight economy The Push is a single-sitting read, as suspenseful as any thriller, as thoughtful as any literary novel, with an almost physical force behind each of its turns and revelations. By the end, the reader will feel wrung out in the way only the best of books leaves you. Audrain's debut is a stunning, devastating novel and, frankly, one hell of a way to start a year of reading * Toronto Star *Included in 'Books to Watch 2021' * Evening Standard *Hooks you from the very first page and will have you racing to get to the end -- Book Club Selection * Good Morning America *Included in 'Best New Books' * New York Post *This is a sterling addition to the burgeoning canon of bad seed suspense, from an arrestingly original new voice * Publishers Weekly *This taut and tense hurricane of a debut is best devoured in one sitting * Newsweek *This dazzling debut mixes page-turning suspense with a psychological drama * Working Motheer *Once you start in on this story, it becomes difficult to control yourself. A twisted, tight, and exhilarating drama * Goop *This psychological thriller about a mother's bond with her daughter will keep you turning pages * Woman's Day *This nuanced book challenges the notion of nature versus nurture, and whether a mother's love is enough. It's disturbing, painful and brilliant, holding a mirror up to society * Woman's Weekly *The Push is a thriller that is also a compelling examination of motherhood and of how trauma is passed down through generations * Herald *A tense, chilling dip into the dark side of motherhood . . . The Push is uncomfortable and provocative, like a train wreck that demands your gaze * Washington Post *The most tense, thrilling read that will chill and enthral in equal measure * Sun *Disturbingly brilliant . . . will render you speechless * Woman & Home 'Book of the Month' *A page-turning debut crafted with shrewd expertise - read it before the inevitable screen adaptation * Metro *Unflinching, moving and very, very powerful * Grazia *The clever and powerful psychological thriller everyone has been talking about . . . an unsettling, breathtaking and powerful read about obsession and our deepest fears that will stay with you long after you turn the final page * My Weekly *Audrain has the ability to mesmerise . . . heart-wrenching. A dark, pacy read * My Weekly *A compelling, visceral and bruising portrayal of motherhood that once read cannot ever be forgotten * Woman & Home *A chilling and beautifully written novel that will strike dread into the heart of any new parent. The ending gave me goosebumps -- Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Here To StayA powerful debut about obsession and our deepest fears . . . will have you hooked * Living North *Exploring the dysfunctional lives of three generations of women, The Push deals with the way damage is handed down * Literary Review *A thought-provoking novel that delves deep into the emotional crevices of motherhood * Courier *Taut and gripping, this is a provocative look at motherhood * Psychologies *The Push is an unsettling and powerful read about obsession and our deepest fears that will stay with you long after you turn the final page * Eastern Daily Press *A gripping and vivid thriller . . . It's easy to understand why The Push has caught the attention of Hollywood film producers * Business Post *Compelling * The Herald *Remarkably told story which I couldn't put down. Deftly drawn characters...What a book! And the last line is creepy, haunting perfection -- Christina Sweeney Baird, author of The End of MenThe danger that simmers throughout is so unbearably tense! A wonderful incisive look at maternal guilt ... the effect is staggering -- Imran MahmoodFasten your seatbelt because this book is a face paced, page turning, psychological drama that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last line * The Avondhu *Challenges the idyllic picture of motherhood, and will change what you know about being a mother. It is tenacious and really makes you think about what it's like when women aren't taken seriously * Female First *For fans of mum noir, The Push is an unsettling, breathtaking and powerful read about obsession and our deepest fears that will stay with you long after you turn the final page * Eastern Daily Press *This dark, psychological thriller offers such twists and turns that we start to doubt what we believe . . . And that sharp-intake-of-breath ending! * Manx Independent *I didn't sleep for a week after I finished it, but that's a small price to pay for a great book -- Lauren Weisberger, author of The Devil Wears PradaAn unflinching examination of motherhood. Audrain lets no one in the Connor family off the hook, yet every character managed to elicit my sympathy. Brilliant, insightful, compassionate, and horrifying. I wish I could read it for the first time over and over. One of the best books I've read all year -- Stephanie WrobelOne of the most talked-about books of the year. This nuanced psychological book will make you question the notion of nature vs nurture. Disturbing, painful and brilliant * Woman & Home *This unsettling debut was so riveting it had me devouring pages and then reading slowly with widened eyes * Prima *Addictively readable . . . shines a disturbing light into the darkest recesses of motherhood * Daily Mail, Must Read Paperbacks *Compulsively readable * Daily Express *An unsettling, breathtaking and powerful read about obsession and our deepest fears that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. * Eastern Daily Press *A raw and visceral exploration of a mother-daughter relationship; a haunting and heartbreaking novel that will leave you thinking about it for days after you finish the last page * Female First *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA family in turmoil...Phoebe Spencer left home a long time ago, desperate to get away from her mother's emotional manipulation. She knows her life is better away from her family, but she can’t help feeling she’s simply running away from her problems…Then Phoebe hears that her younger sister Lucy has disappeared, leaving behind her four-year old daughter, Darcy. Phoebe's certain Lucy will be back soon - she'd never leave Darcy alone - and then Phoebe can get on with her life again.But as the days pass there's still no sign of Lucy, and everyone begins to fear the worst. Phoebe has to consider the terrible truth that Lucy might never come home. And as their mother makes it clear she wants to take control of Darcy’s life, Phoebe must do all she can to protect the girl her sister left behind – no matter the cost to her.Praise for Jo Bartlett'A triumph from Jo Bartlett.' Bestselling author, Jessica Redland'An emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end! I challenge anyone to read it without their eyes filling up with tears. A real page turner!' Besteslling author Sheila Norton'I was drawn in from the first word, I’ve laughed and cried, what a really lovely story' Reader Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE JANN MEDLICOTT ACORN PRIZE FOR FICTION WINNER OF THE MITOQ BEST FIRST BOOK OF FICTION WINNER OF THE NGAIO MARSH AWARD FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL auē (verb) to cry, howl, groan, wail, bawl. (interjection) expression of astonishment or distress. Taukiri was born into sorrow. Auē can be heard in the sound of the sea he loves and hates, and in the music he draws out of the guitar that was his father’s. It spills out of the gang violence that killed his father and sent his mother into hiding, and the shame he feels about abandoning his eight-year-old brother to a violent home. But Taukiri’s brother, Ārama, is braver than he looks, and he has a friend, and his friend has a dog, and the three of them together might just be strong enough to turn back the tide of sadness. This bestselling multi-award-winning novel is both raw and sublime, introducing a compelling new voice in New Zealand fiction.Trade Review‘There is something so assured and flawless in the delivery of the writing voice that is almost like acid on the skin.’ -- Tara June Winch, co-judge of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2020‘It reminds me of The Bone People and of Once Were Warriors. The writing has a wild, intuitive sort of magic.’ -- Catherine Woulfe * The Spinoff *‘This is the kind of social realist New Zealand fiction I’m thrilled to see … This is a real punch-in-the-guts kind of novel but while it deals with themes of domestic violence, gang culture, grief, and fractured families and, is at times, a heartbreaking read; it is also a beautifully pitched and nuanced hopeful story about the power of love, friendship, and family … I think everybody should read Auē. It’s a book that people will still be talking about in decades to come.’ -- Kiran Dass * NZ Herald *‘Manawatu has an ability to write grisly, horrifying details yet also keep one eye on our hearts. She builds tangible characters that have beauty and wonder, bright dreams, and enduring strength, alongside others that you wish she could unwrite. There are many elements of this book that give a nod to Keri Hulme’s The Bone People. The young boy at the centre, the violence, the isolated South Island backdrop, the secret ‘Bones Bay’ all recall Hulme, but the most important similarity is the way both authors write with such earthy grace and pull you into a world that is as repelling as it is intriguing.’ -- Arihia Latham * Landfall *‘Auē is not just the story of two boys, it is the story of a family, people who are born into it, and those who become part of it. We travel through past and present, lives come together and are held together by strands of pain, cruelty, hardship, brutality, music, and love. Throughout is the image of birds, some broken and battered, some who manage to fly. Some who sing. The writer knows exactly what she’s doing and takes us with her. I could not stop reading.’ -- Renée‘A deep and powerful work, maybe even the most successfully achieved portrayal of underclass New Zealand life since Once Were Warriors.’ -- Steve Braunias * Newsroom *‘This is a confronting book, but it’s superbly written, with the undercurrent of distress escalating as the pages progress … until it explodes in a devastating climax … Like Alan Duff’s Once There Were Warriors, this novel doesn’t shy away from depicting the dysfunctional aspects of Maori gang culture and the violence of toxic masculinity … This gift for dialogue is matched by a raw authenticity which propels the novel along until it becomes unputdownable.’ -- Lisa Hill * ANZ LitLovers *‘It’s a compelling, riveting story that feels likes riding the waves, moments of joy at the heights, the threat of doom as they crash. And the poetry of the in-between, the goodness inherent within the young and those who have been loved, the healing that can happen when families reconnect, the ceaseless drama of life. The characterisation is so well done, unsentimental but deeply empathetic, the vulnerability of some sits in deep contrast to the brutal nature of others, the tension almost unbearable. A 5 star read — extraordinary literary fiction.’ -- Claire McAlpine * Word by Word *‘Auē! — a cry of distress — calling out throughout this extraordinary novel of fear and violence, of families torn apart, and people trying to find connection and safety … As you read, you empathise so much with the characters, that the mystery of what exactly has happened and how the people are related to each other is totally absorbing. And the tension of the last few chapters almost unbearable … A remarkable book.’ -- Alyson Baker * alysontheblog *‘To attempt a plot overview of Auē is difficult because the characters and events intersect and reveal themselves in an order not chronological but like a good mystery, a puzzle fragment at a time. The fragments, often violent, or sad, or beautiful, or funny, all perfectly fit each other and create something more than their parts, but defy a easy summation … cleverly constructed.’ -- Renee Rowland * The Twizel Bookshop *‘Auē means to cry or wail, which is at the heart of this novel. It gnaws away at you, it consumes you; you can't stop thinking about it, trying to understand it, trying to find hope … a fitting title for this book as there is an underlying sense of sorrow that binds the generations together. It details intergenerational trauma and shares a journey on how this trauma can impact future generations and leave unseen scars breaking the essence and spirit of a person. Manawatu weaves the sorrowful call throughout the book, but there are just enough pockets of hope to allow the reader to imagine a better future for all the characters.’ -- Wiki Mulholland * Emirates Literature Foundation *‘It’s about the intergenerational nature of this violence, how ruinous lack of tenderness breeds further ruin. The violence is strongly gendered, the men incapable of expressing themselves except through fists … If lack of tenderness is the cause of all this suffering, aroha, love, is the answer. Throughout Auē love comes to the rescue, even if it is often thwarted. Culture and belonging are key to this love … The writing is cinematic, the dialogue heightened, the action coming in staccato bursts.’ -- James Whitmore * The Library is Open *‘Auē is a heartbreaking yet gripping drama … Despite the misery faced by its characters, the book maintains a sense of hope … [Auē] stands out for its stark yet careful approach to depicting confronting and uncomfortable subjects. It’s reminiscent of Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain and Romy Ash’s Floundering in its exploration of tragedy through the innocent eyes of a child.’ -- Brad Jefferies * Books+Publishing *‘The word auē is a Maori verb to cry, howl, groan, wail, bawl and yes, yes, yes, yes and yes, you may do all of these things when reading Becky Manawatu’s incredibly assured debut novel. Small word, big emotions – and the perfect title for a book that deals in deceptively simple narration and oceanic feeling … Manawatu elicits compassion from ugly places, and threads through redemptive spiritual beauty, and innocence, too, via alternating voices.’ -- Lucy Clark * The Guardian *‘Delivered in rapid-fire, punchy prose, Auē is the remarkably assured debut of Becky Manawatu. Tracing the story Taukiri, it’s a confronting portrait of his family life — one that has been devastated by gang violence. Brutal in its themes, but permeated by hope, it’s little wonder that it’s already resonated so strongly with critics and fans alike in Manawatu’s native New Zealand.’ * Happy Mag *‘Much has been made of the violence in this novel … [but in] so many ways, Auē is quite different … more hopeful and tender … In bringing to the page characters who maim, but also characters who love fiercely, Manawatu has had to enter the aching heart of this story and bring her characters back from dark places. Auē has done well because it is expertly crafted, but also because it has something indefinable: enthralling, puzzling, gripping and familiar, yet otherworldly.’ -- Tina Makereti * The Guardian *‘[R}emarkable … In Manawatu's precise prose, even the most ruthless acts are imbued with poetry. Auē is a complex and gripping read, exploring identity, race and redemption.’ -- Dasha Maiorova * The Big Issue *‘Genre-defying, Manawatu’s writing creates an unusual mix of heart-in-your-mouth gang crime and a pensive, deeply moving family drama … Manawatu’s Maori heritage comes through with great heart, hope, and vibrancy by drawing on the natural landscape, Maori myths and the social issues and exclusions that face the modern Maori experience.’ -- Fiona Murphy * Irish Examiner *‘[Auē's] strengths emerge partly through an unwillingness to flinch at bleakness, partly through the depth of emotion, and ultimately the resilience it also portrays.’ * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘[Manawatu's] prose is as changeable as the ocean: fluid most of the time, choppy and fragmented during intense moments. Each narrator contributes a unique perspective, their voices weaving together to form a coherent, devastating tale … Auē is a novel about how trauma can spread from one generation to the next, and how it is never too late for second chances.’ -- Eileen Gonzalez * Foreword Reviews *‘Manawatu’s writing is tender, concise and cinematic, the narrative populated as much by loving, supportive men as it is by broken, violent ones. Her superb incorporation of popular music recalls – perhaps not coincidentally – the Midas touch of Quentin Tarantino, whose Django Unchained serves as both motif and character development, representing the irrepressible spirit of children who find joy in the ugliest sides of life and the pall of colonialism that hovers over the story. Manawatu slides between perspectives and time frames, abruptly introducing characters without losing command of the narrative, making revelations and connections at just the right time, the short chapters letting the story unfurl like a rich tapestry.’ -- Ruby Hamad * The Saturday Paper *‘“Auē” is the Maori word for a howling cry, and this layered work weaves a striking tapestry of fierce love and unflinching violence worthy of its poetic title … Manawatu excels at enriching her characters and story lines with heartbreaking detail … [A] devastating, beautifully written tale imbued with Maori culture and language.’ -- Gregory Brown * The New York Times *‘Auē is a vivid and profound work.’ -- Jessica Oliver * The Canberra Times *‘Read this book if you love great fiction and want to discover a powerful new voice from New Zealand.’ -- Emily Paull * The AU Review *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I utterly believed in the residents of Beartown, and felt ripped apart by the events in the book' JOJO MOYESWHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STAND TOGETHER? ‘It’s often said that winners write history, but there are no winners here’This is a small story about big questions. It's a story about family, community, life.  It starts with a storm - and a death.  But how does it end?   Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them? As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home a

Read more less

Book SynopsisHemingway's last major novel, set in the Gulf Stream islands, captures the struggles of adult personal relationships in his consummate distinctive style.'He knew too what it was to live through a hurricane'This is the last book Hemingway wrote before he died, the story of Thomas Hudson, an artist and adventurer. Living a bachelor's life on an island in the Gulf Stream during the thirties, Hudson's existence is dictated by the waves and tides. But when his sons come to visit, Hudson must grapple with the role of father and the unfamiliar demands of family.A late work by one of America's greatest writers.'Hemingway's most deeply autobiographical piece of work' Irish TimesTrade ReviewHemingway's most deeply autobiographical piece of work * Irish Times *Hemingway’s style is a superb vehicle for revealing tenderness of feeling beneath descriptions of brutality * Guardian *Many of the episodes contain the most exciting and effective writing Hemingway has ever done * Saturday Review *This book contains some of the best of Hemingway's descriptions of nature: the waves breaking white and green on the reef off the coast of Cuba; the beauty of the morning on the deep water; the hermit crabs and land crabs and ghost crabs; a big barracuda stalking mullet; a heron flying with his white wings over the green water; the ibis and flamingoes and spoonbills, the last of these beautiful with the sharp rose of their color; the mosquitoes in clouds from the marshes; the water that curled and blew under the lash of the wind; the sculpture that the wind and sand had made of a piece of driftwood, gray and sanded and embedded in white, floury sand -- Edmund Wilson * Saturday Review *Thomas Hudson, the painter in the book Islands in the Streamis Hemingway himself, attempting to come to terms with everything he loves - the clarity of a brushstroke, his three children, his ex-wives, his lovers, his whores, his friends, his cats, his rifle, his Booth's gin * Newsweek *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover Mann's Nobel Prizewinning semi-autobiographical and sweeping family epic.The Buddenbrook clan is everything you'd expect of a nineteenth-century German merchant family - wealthy, esteemed, established.Trade ReviewPerhaps the first great novel of the 20th century * New York Times *A simple but magnificent proof of genius. A first novel by a 25-year-old with absolute command of his craft, uncanny knowledge of his world, its past and present, and a daring originality which makes its last pages among the most startlingly moving I know -- Alan Hollinghurst * New York Times *One of the best novels of the 20th century * Guardian *That definitive epic of German family life * Irish Times *His masterpiece * Los Angeles Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBest Kept Secret is the third spellbinding novel in the epic Clifton Chronicles series, from master storyteller Jeffrey Archer.Trade ReviewProbably the greatest storyteller of our age * The Mail on Sunday *If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win * The Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this beautifully crafted novel about the interlinked lives of two women, Thrity Umrigar explores the complex relationships between the classes in India, rarely addressed in contemporary fiction.''Bhima is real. She worked in the house I grew up in, year after year, a shadow flitting around our middle-class home, her thin brown hands cleaning furniture she was not allowed to sit on, cooking food she was not allowed to share at the family dining table, dusting the stereo that mainly played American rock and roll, music that was alien and unfamiliar to her, that only reminded her of her nebulous presence in our home, our world, our lives.'' Thrity UmrigarSet in contemporary Bombay, The Space Between Us' tells the story of Sera Dubash, an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife and Bhima, the woman who works as a domestic servant in her home. Despite their class differences, the two women are bound by the bonds of gender and shared life experiences both had marriages that started out with gTrade Review'A Mumbai Parsi novel, a post-nationalist slum poverty novel, and perhaps most compellingly, a maid-and-mistress story: think Douglas Sirk's film “Imitations of Life”. The varied elements of this tale of affection and class conflict are carried off with a winning ease and enthusiasm that make it both engrossing and moving.' The Independent 'Thrity Umrigar has a striking talent for portraying pain and suffering and the sheer unfairness of life…The result is a vital social comment on contemporary India.' The Financial Times ‘It is a great book; I love it…I am so happy for Thrity Umrigar! And proud of her as a woman, too. What a gift she has given us. Please tell her of my admiration, joy, delight and relief (it is so precious to have a book about a woman one rarely even "sees" in society, whether Indian or American).’ Alice Walker, author of ‘The Colour Purple’ 'Joyful, lyrical, tragic – and a real page-turner.' Voyager magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisSequel to the outstanding historical novel Earthly Joys, and written by the bestselling Philippa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover.John Tradescant the Younger has inherited his father's unique collection of plants along with his unerring ability to nurture them. But as gardener to Charles I, he confronts an unbearable dilemma when England descends into Civil War. Fleeing from the chaos, John travels to the Royalist colony of Virginia in America. But the virgin land is not uninhabited. John's plant hunting brings him to live with the native people, and he learns to love and respect their way of life just as it is threatened by the colonial settlers.In the new world and the old, the established order is breaking down and every family has to find its own way of surviving. For the Tradescants, through the upheavals of the Commonwealth and the Restoration, this means consolidating their reputations as the greatest gardeners in the country.Trade ReviewPraise for Philppa Gregory: ‘Subtle and exciting.’ Daily Express ‘Written from instinct, not out of calculation, and it shows.’Peter Ackroyd, The Times ‘For sheer pace and percussive drama it will take a lot of beating.’ Sunday Times ‘One of Gregory's great strengths as a novelist is her ability to take familiar historical figures and flesh them into living breathing human beings. The Constant Princess is a worthy successor to her previous novels about the Tudors.’ Daily Express

Read more less

Book SynopsisA lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake.''Bewitching!'' New York Times''Heartfelt, touching and delightfully quirky'' Good HousekeepingIt was a source of entertainment at Maple Street Cemetery. Both funny and sad, the kind of story we like best. Natural-born healer Emma Starling once had big plans for her life, but she''s lost her way. A medical school dropout, she''s come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire, to care for her father, who is dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as having visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house. This ghost has been giving Clive some ideas on how to sTrade ReviewA wondrous and wonderful story filled with unforgettable characters, both living and dead . . . an instant classic * Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author of the Southern Reach trilogy *Hartnett's whimsical storytelling casts a spell * Publishers Weekly *An absurdist, laugh-out-loud family drama about intergenerational healing * Kirkus Reviews *I devoured Annie Hartnett's Unlikely Animals. She's created a beautiful menagerie set inside a troubled household and their small New Hampshire town; a delightful mess of tenderness, grief, and despair, but most important, hope * Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things and With Teeth *Unlikely Animals possesses such tenderness and empathy for a world that wears us down and ruins us, a world that sometimes offers a glimmer of hope, and Hartnett knows how to turn up the brilliance of that light and wield it to do magical things * Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang *Hartnett masterfully balances a story of deep loss with the perfect amount of hilarity and tenderness * Booklist (starred review) *This is a big novel doing big things. It bears some similarity to Hartnett's much- loved first novel, Rabbit Cake. . . . But Unlikely Animals is a broader, brassier, and even more fiercely tender story. In this, her second novel, Hartnett lands an astonishing leap as a storyteller * The Rumpus *Wistfully charming . . . This unapologetically genre-bending tribute to life and death, and the beautiful weirdness found in both, has potential to spark exceptional book club discussions * Shelf Awareness *Bewitching! * New York Times *[A] a magical, soul-stirring read about family and the ways we put ourselves back together * The Washington Post *Heartfelt, touching and delightfully quirky * Good Housekeeping *A moving novel about family, friendship and loss that manages to be both at times quirkily surreal as well as rooted in the realities of small-town life * Choice *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDevastating, deceptive and darkly funny' SARAH WINMANIt had me holding my breath!' MARIAN KEYES'I loved this novel. It was perfection. Highly recommend' CECELIA AHERNA stupendous novel complicated, dark, funny and very human' FERN BRITTONMEET LINDA.Linda lives a nice, normal life, on a nice, normal street with Terry, her perfectly ordinary husband.Linda's not like everyone else, she keeps herself to herself. But she's good at solving puzzles and there are times she sees things other people might have overlooked.Because nothing on Cavendish Avenue is quite as it seems. People have started to go missing in the neighbourhood and Linda will soon discover that some secrets can't stay buried forever-Genuinely haunting' THE TIMES, Thrillers of the YearA curtain-twitching, darkly funny tale with a gloriously sinister twist' OBSERVERJoanna Cannon creates a world that is so real, so parochial and stifling Then adds in a killer. Glorious' JANE FALLONNot just a twist-laden mystery, but a keenly obTrade Review‘Compellingly creepy, with precisely observed characterisation… combines pathos with lovely flashes of humour and a wholly unexpected ending’ Guardian ‘Devastating, deceptive and darkly funny. Classic Cannon’ Sarah Winman ‘Original, macabre… intriguing, it had me holding my breath!’ Marian Keyes ‘Cannon’s shrewd characterisation, sparky observations and subtly menacing plot makes this a darkly funny and delightfully sinister read’ Mail On Sunday ‘Meticulously plotted and darkly comic… a masterclass in misdirection [that] offers a deliciously satisfying denouement’ Observer ‘Genuinely haunting’ The Times ‘Written with warmth and wit… not just a twist-laden mystery, but a keenly observed slice of life. Her best yet’ Clare Mackintosh ‘A stupendous novel… complicated, dark, funny and very human’ Fern Britton ‘A dark, creepy domestic noir’ Sun ‘Entertaining and dark’ Stylist ‘A genuinely funny, and moving, novel about a serial killer… Cannon’s version of suburbia is wonderfully creepy and claustrophobic… Linda is still tugging at my heart strings a little, days after finishing’ Observer ‘I literally put the light on in the middle of the night in order to carry on reading it. Compelling, sinister, brilliantly written, it is a complete triumph’ Katie Fforde ‘Cleverly structured, building up to shocking and ingenious revelations’ Sunday Express ‘Joanna Cannon creates a world that is so real, so parochial & stifling you can feel it. Then adds in a killer. Glorious’ Jane Fallon ‘A compellingly crafted, darkly funny and compulsive read, full of twists… a joy and a triumph’ Rachel Joyce ‘Jo’s writing is as delicate and precise as tapestry and Linda is a character you’ll never forget’ Jill Mansell ‘Dark and moreish’ i paper ‘One heck of a read’ Love Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisChild's Play is powerful family drama about the highs and lows of motherhood from Danielle Steel, the world's favourite storyteller.Kate Morgan is a senior partner at a prestigious New York law firm. A single mother after the death of her husband, Kate keeps a tight rein on her family, her career and even her own emotions.She couldn’t be prouder of her three grown children, who have all excelled in their chosen careers. But she’s never asked herself if she truly knows her children or their dreams in life. She is about to find out.One by one, each of her children makes a sudden choice that turns Kate’s world upside down. When events begin to escalate, Kate can't keep up and her heavily organized life is thrown into turmoil.Kate slowly discovers that happiness is living the life you can choose. But can she accept the paths her children have taken?

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Absolutely gripping! Was great from start to finish'' NetGalley reviewer ?????My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I've shielded you from. The things I've endured . . . our past.We've been happy. We've been hidden. We've been safe.But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.Because they've found me. And they're about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.I'll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew I'd lose you forever.You can never discover what I've done . . . or what I'm willing to do to keep you safe.A nail-biting new psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Shalini Boland.Praise for My Lovely Daughter''I had to see how it would end'' NetGalley reviewer ?????''Full of suspense, twists, intrigue and unexpected turns in all the right places' NetGalley reviewer ?????''A gripping tale'' NetGalley reviewer ?????''Read in one sitting'' NetGalley reviewer ?????''Absolutely gripping! Was gTrade Review'I had to see how it would end' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Full of suspense, twists, intrigue and unexpected turns in all the right places’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A gripping tale' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Read in one sitting' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I didn’t put it down once I started reading' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A gripping, cleverly plotted thriller but also a heart-wrenching story of a mother's love’ Sarah Clarke, author of A Mother Never Lies ‘Sucked me in from the very first page’ Karin Nordin, author of Where Ravens Roost

Read more less

Book Synopsis>THE SEQUEL TO THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING NOVEL''If you love The Kite Runner you''ll love The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul'' LOOK MAGAZINE Six women forever joined by a little cafe in KabulSUNNY, former proprietor of the Little Coffee Shop and new owner of the Screaming Peacock vineyard. Can she handle the challenges of life on her own?YAZMINA, the young mother who now runs the cafe, until a terrifying event strikes at the heart of her family and business...LAYLA and KAT, Afghan teenagers in America, struggling to make sense of their place in the world...ZARA, about to be forced into a marriage which will have devastating consequences...These women are about to learn what HALAJAN, Yazmina''s rebellious mother-in-law, has known all along: when the world as you know it disappears, you find a new way to live.Reuniting

Read more less

Book SynopsisSheila O''Flanagan''s bestseller IF YOU WERE ME will make readers wonder: what would I do if my first love came back into my life? A must-read if you enjoy the novels of Veronica Henry and Catherine Alliott.You''re engaged to a great man. You''re on a countdown to your wedding day. You stopped thinking about your first love a long time ago.But what if one unexpected, forbidden kiss were to throw your life upside down?Carlotta O''Keefe suddenly finds herself wondering if the girl she was would recognise the woman she has become.She thought she was living a charmed life. But what if she''s got it all wrong?What if her past is meant to be her future?What readers are saying about If You Were Me:''One of [Sheila O''Flanagan''s] best books - just a sweet story about the one that got away. Empowering and refreshing'' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars''Great characters, fast-Trade ReviewEntertains, surprises and provokes - Irish Independent (on ALL FOR YOU)O'Flanagan's lightness of touch and gentle characterisations have produced another fine read; an ideal addition to that summer holiday - Sunday Express (on HOW WILL I KNOW?)

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'American storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius.' – The Observer'The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway.' – Daily Mail'I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness.' – The Times/Sunday Times, 'Books of the Year (So Far)'An Oprah's Book Club Pick.A powerfully affecting novel about how we change, grow and age, Wellness is a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together.When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the 90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a Trade ReviewAmerican storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius . . . tackling a few big questions. What is truth? What is love? And therefore, inevitably, what is true love? * The Observer *The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway. * Daily Mail *Future historians, read this book . . . a crackling, witty chronicle of the world of the urban creative classes frm the 1990s to now . . . I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness. * The Times *A reader emerges from Hill’s world of Wellness with a keener eye for the tragicomic maladies of marriage, and a greater ear for the strangely affecting rhythms and algorithms of 21st-century life. * The Guardian *A bewitching, sophisticated book * Financial Times *Wellness is not some naive, crunchy-granola midlife-crisis novel . . . [it] is a clear-eyed look at the difficulty to live honestly in a world where authenticity may be the most challenged idea of all. * The Washington Post *A clever satire on America's self-deluding 'wellness' class . . . The variety and ingenuity of HIll's satirical prods – from real-estate development to Facebook algorithms – is impressive. * The Telegraph *This soulful satire takes aim at everything from gentrification to 'life hacks'. But it's also ambitious – and some nifty plotting by Hill reveals just how entangled contentment is with the stories we tell about ourselves. * The Mail on Sunday *This brilliant novel will leave you thinking about the truth of your own life and the stories we tell ourselves and each other. -- Oprah WinfreyA compassionate satire of messy America * i news *Hill's storytelling abilities are impressive . . . His novels vividly capture lonely Midwestern childhoods and real yearning for connection and understanding. * The New York Times *Wellness is a perfect novel for our age . . . It's beyond remarkable, both funny and heartbreaking, sometimes on the same page. * NPR *Hill is witty at exposing the ways intelligence and social background don’t necessarily make us more immune to manipulation * Los Angeles Times *I read Hill’s novel with excitement and close to a sense of disbelief that there is still a writer out there who is intrigued by amplitude and by what fiction can do if pushed far enough. -- Daphne Merkin, The AtlanticWellness brilliantly blends ideas about wellness culture, modern parenting, Internet algorithms, gentrification, and most importantly, love. * People *This new novel from the author of 2016 bestseller The Nix certainly packs a lot into its pages – parenting trends, the wellness industry, the meaning of art, conspiracy theories – all explored through scenes from the 20-year marriage between Elizabeth and Jack, as the pair grow together and apart again. Meaty but very readable * Good Housekeeping *A hilarious and moving exploration of a modern marriage that astounds in its breadth and intimacy. -- Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers and The Vanishing HalfNathan Hill has synthesized about a hundred years of that distinctly American delusion called self-improvement, and Wellness is the whip smart and gently comic result.' -- Joshua Ferris, author of Then We Came to the EndWellness is one of the funniest, saddest, smartest novels I’ve ever read . . . It's a flat-out masterpiece. -- Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaA beautiful, sometimes sad, sometimes satirical but most of all honest book about the many people a person becomes—the way a life, in time, inevitably upends itself. -- Omar El Akkad, author of American WarAmbitious, deeply engrossing, whip-smart and ultimately heartbreaking, Nathan Hill’s Wellness is all this and much more. -- Richard Russo, author of the North Bath TrilogyHill blends a family chronicle with cultural critique in his expansive and surprisingly tender latest . . . This stunning novel of ideas never loses sight of its humanity. * Publishers Weekly *From the acclaimed author of The Nix comes another hugely ambitious novel, about how we change, grow and age, a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together. * Sheerluxe *Witty and thought-provoking * Glamour *Funny and heartbreaking and exasperating . . . a book to spend time in, that will keep you musing long after the last page * The New Zealand Herlad *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick''Every once in a while, I read a book that opens my eyes in a way I never expected'' Reese Witherspoon (Reese''s Book Club x Hello Sunshine book pick)''It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think'' Liane Moriarty, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little LiesThis is how a family keeps a secret...and how that secret ends up keeping them.This is how a family lives happily ever after...until happily ever after becomes complicated.This is how children change...and then change the world.This is Claude. He''s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess.When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl.Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wTrade ReviewI was lucky enough to receive an advance reading copy of this very special book about a family with a secret. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think. -- Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of THE HUSBAND'S SECRET and TRUE LITTLE LIESAn astonishing balance of humour, complexity, and above all, kindness -- Ruth Ozeki, bestselling author of A TALE FOR THE TIME BEINGHuge heart, humour and compassion. A sparkling tale about the power of secrets, loyalty and love, this novel is wonderfully engaging, gorgeously written and has characters that will captivate you * Sunday Mirror *Heart-warming and funny... I found this both unputdownable and enlightening. I'm so glad I've read it - I know so much more about life now -- Katie FfordeA lively and fascinating story of a thoroughly modern family and the giant, multifaceted love that binds them. THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS sparkles with wit and wisdom -- Maria Semple, bestselling author of WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTEAn intelligent, life-affirming, emotionally charged story. This is a very relevant read for today's world - it'll make you laugh and cry * Prima *Wonderful, magical * Red *Thought-provoking and topical * Woman & Home *Written with wry humour and compassion, this is a personal story of parenting, love and understanding * Sunday Express *A touching novel * Good Housekeeping *This wise and often funny novel is a compassionate lesson in discovering and welcoming what makes each of us unique * Redbook *With emotional acuity, admirable bravery, utter compassion, and complete understanding, [Frankel has] created a family attempting to forge a path through one of life's most mystifying challenges: how to define what it is that makes your child who he or she is: unique, beloved, and whole. This is a novel everyone should read. It's brilliant. It's bold. And it's time -- Elizabeth George, bestselling author of A BANQUET OF CONSEQUENCESA beautiful, thought-provoking novel that will make you think differently about the world -- Adele ParksA beguiling tale of a sprawling, loving, ever-changing, unconventional and yet completely typical modern family... Wonderfully moving -- Garth Stein, author of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAINA fresh new voice * Glamour *Deeply satisfying...An intimate family story...Day-to-day parenting dilemmas are where Frankel shines * New York Times Book Review *Sharp and surprising. This is a wonderfully contradictory story - heartwarming and generous, yet written with a wry sensibility * Publishers Weekly *This big-hearted novel about a family with a transgender child is in the lead for the most sensitively and sincerely told story of 2017... Frankel's portrayal of even the most open-hearted parents' doubts and fears around a child's gender identity elevates this novel * People, 'Book of the Week' *A tender, endearingly human piece of work * Straits Times *A heart-warming and bittersweet story of identity and family * Irish Country Magazine *Brave, complicated, occasionally horrifying and frequently very funny...Frankel is a first-rate storyteller * Seattle Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 EBOOK BESTSELLERA witty, heartwarming story of love, life and second chances set in the idyllic Cotswolds, from the glorious Jill Mansell.''I completely adored it . . . Brimming with warmth, heart and jolly good fun'' Cathy Bramley''An absolute joy from start to finish'' Veronica Henry''Jill knocks it right out of the park with this fabulous story of love and friendship'' Milly JohnsonOne minute Lou is happily employed, with a perfect flat. The next, her home and job have gone. Suddenly she has to start over.The last thing Lou wants is to move to a tiny Cotswolds village. She certainly doesn''t intend to work for curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp. But Edgar is about to make her the kind of promise nobody could ignore. In return, she secretly vows to help him fall in love with life again.Foxwell is also home to Remy, whose charm and charisma are proving hard toTrade ReviewI completely adored it. Jill's characters leap off the page from the get go and you can't help liking even the less pleasant ones. Lovely Edgar and Captain Oates. The story was, as Jill's always are, brimming with warmth, heart and jolly good fun * Cathy Bramley *Rich with wonderful characters, overflowing with heart-warming romance, this is Jill at her very best * Milly Johnson *The absolute definition of "reading for pleasure", it will bring hours of happiness * Veronica Henry *Wonderful characters and full of wit and wisdom. I loved this book! * Katie Fforde *This heartwarming new read from the queen of the feelgood romcom is the perfect thing to curl up with on a wet afternoon * Good Housekeeping *This charming story proves just why Jill Mansell is often hailed as the 'queen of feelgood fiction . . . You'll struggle to leave this enchanting little village in the Cotswolds * Woman's Weekly *With an irresistible setting, this delivers all the feels - and then some * Heat *Gorgeously drawn characters . . . a perfectly witty, wise and uplifting read * Platinum *A real ray of sunshine and - exactly what's needed right now - Jill's books should be on prescription! * Phillipa Ashley *Joyous, uplifting and funny. Just the escape I need. Totally life affirming! Jill at her best! * Jo Thomas *Promise Me is an absolute treat, packed with Jill Mansell's trademark wonderful characters. Her storytelling drew me in from page 1 and held me to the very end * Sue Moorcroft *With this emotional, heartwarming and romantic read, Jill Mansell again proves she deserves her crown as queen of feelgood fiction * Daily Record *

Read more less

Book Synopsis*LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023**WINNER OF THE AUTHORS'' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2024**SHORTLISTED FOR THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS ADCI LITERARY AWARD*''Delicate and strong... I loved it'' Maggie O''Farrell''''Darkly vivacious... mesmerising'' Guardian''Immaculate'' Financial Times''A triumph'' Daily TelegraphFor readers who loved Sorrow and Bliss or Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - an unforgettable story of a mother and daughter whose lives are upended when a charming new couple move in next door.Sunday Forrester lives with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Dolly, in the house she grew up in. She does things more carefully than most people. On quiet days, she must eat only white foods. Her etiquette handbook guides her through confusing social situations, and to escape, she turns to her treasury of Sicilian folklore. The one thing very much out of her control Trade ReviewA novel both delicate and strong, illuminating the disturbing and the extraordinary to be found in the every day. Sunday is a beguiling and beguiled narrator, and her story an examination of the disjunction between humans' private and public selves. I loved it -- Maggie O'FarrellLloyd Barlow makes her wary, vigilant, poetic voice the star in a mesmerising debut * Guardian *Lloyd-Barlow's prose sings... a beautiful, bittersweet debut * Daily Telegraph *What a glorious, unforgettable character Vita is. And I loved Sunday's voice too, so unique, right from the off. It showed me things about autism that will stay with me. A genuinely valuable book, but more importantly I enjoyed being inside its world -- Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the BarleyA memorably authentic, at times painfully affecting, portrait of a singular woman navigating life's challenges and still finding her way to happiness on her own terms * Daily Mail *Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow's is a distinct and poetic new voice. This novel about the complex desires behind our closest relationships is undercut with the darkness of Sicilian folklore: the fisherman who promises away his child; the lover who is a wolf; a caged magpie; burning fields -- Clare Pollard, poet and author of DelphiFunny, lyrical, deft and devastating. Full of longing and love -- Amy Sackville, author of Painter to the KingAt once sharply perceptive and lyrically written, All The Little Bird-Hearts is an emotional and though-provoking exploration of autism * CultureFly *Moving, funny and lyrical * iPaper *Expect to be moved * Sainsburys Magazine *Scintillating... a tense and subtly nuanced look at an intense friendship between two women -- Elizabeth Morris * Crib Notes *A mesmerising story, impeccably written: I couldn't put it down -- Anstey Harris, author of WHEN I FIRST HELD YOUIf you would like your heart smashed into tiny pieces in the most beautiful way possible, then here you go -- Jen Campbell

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Top Five BestsellerA BBC Two Between the Covers Book Club Pick'A wonderfully inventive novel' — The Times and Sunday Times, Best Historical Fiction of 2023Laura Shepherd-Robinson's The Square of Sevens is an epic and sweeping novel set in Georgian high society, a dazzling story offering up mystery, intrigue, heartbreak, and audacious twists.This is your story, Red. You must tell it well . . .A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red's quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads her into grave danger . . .'A masterpiece' — Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal'A sweeping Dickensian tour de force of a novel' — Susan Stokes-Chapman, bestselling author of Pandora'I doubt I’ll read a better book this year' — Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of We Begin at the EndTrade Review[A] wonderfully inventive novel set in 18th-century England. As the heroine and narrator Red seeks the truth about her origins and possible connection to the wealthy De Lacy family, the reader’s expectations are constantly confounded with one twist in her tale after another -- The Times and Sunday Times, Best Historical Fiction of 2023This rich, complex and haunting Dickensian epic is a triumph of the Gothic genre . . . a masterpiece -- Janice Hallett, betselling author of The AppealA sweeping Dickensian tour de force of a novel . . . cementing the author’s place as the queen of modern Georgian literature -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, bestselling author of PandoraA sprawling, exquisite, outright triumph . . . I doubt I’ll read a better book this year -- Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin At the EndWith its twists and turns and revelations of those lies that bind and truths that rend asunder, this story is a deep pleasure to read * Sunday Times *This is an intricately plotted, epic book that delivers twist after twist in its 560 pages. A big, satisfying and clever read * The Times *A big, complex mystery: rich in memorable, scheming characters and vivid historical detail, full of daring twists. I was so immersed in its world. I didn't want it to end -- S. J. Parris, bestselling author of the Giordano Bruno seriesThis is a fabulously evocative novel, with a heroine who proves the most wonderful company, and a finely spun mystery which keeps you turning the pages. The Square of Sevens invites you into a magical world which you won't want to leave -- Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den trilogyA fabulous historical novel that races along like a galloping pony -- Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of LondonIn The Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-Robinson excels at recreating the past - in this case, Georgian England - in an authentic way. She invites us to join fortune teller Red on an epic journey to unravel the secrets of her past and we cannot rest until we have answers. Dazzling -- Fiona Cummins, author of When I Was Ten What a magnificent rollercoaster ride of a book . . . I am in awe -- James Oswald, bestselling author of the Inspector McLean seriesThis is a book to relish, not rush through. Rich in historical detail, it’s immersive, authoritative and Dickensian in scope. Fundamentally though it’s a damn good story, brilliantly told. I loved it -- Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange and It Ends At MidnightMeticulously researched and beautifully written, this is one of the most intriguing books I have ever read -- Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Strange Sally DiamondSuspenseful and intricately planned, The Square of Sevens is a work where every page seems to hold the promise of a new thrilling secret. More than a mystery, it is a book that radiates a deep love of storytelling and the magic of a well-told tale -- Katherine J. Chen, author of JoanLaura Shepherd-Robinson is riding high in the historical crime stakes; this is a sprawling epic novel set in Georgian high society, with its lively fortune-telling heroine Red unearthing her own lethal legacy * Financial Times *The Square of Sevens shows a novelist approaching the peak of her powers. It's ingeniously plotted, panoramic and deeply satisfying. . . filled with period colour, clever twists and turns, and the best set of characters this side of Dickens. It will keep you guessing until the final pages. * Daily Express *This has all the charm and intricate plotting that we expect from Laura’s books – it is exquisitely, meticulously plotted and you’ll want to curl up and absorb it all in as few readings as possible. For me, it’s reminiscent of Sarah Waters – praise that is richly deserved. * Belfast Telegraph *'[A] clever story...its characters flit between London's slums and palatial estates where misdirection and conspiracies abound' * Washington Post *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Heart and humour in abundance... exquisite' The TimesAfter fifty years in London, Alice wants to live out her days in the land of her birth. Her children are divided on whether she stays or goes, and in the wake of their father's death, the imagined stability of the family begins to fray. Meanwhile youngest daughter Melissa has never let go of a love she lost, and Michael in return, now married to Nicole, is haunted by the failed perfection of the past. As Alice's final decision draws closer, all that is hidden between them rises to the surface . . .Set against the shadows of a city and a country in turmoil, Diana Evans's ordinary people confront fundamental questions. How should we raise our children? How to do right by our parents? And how, in the midst of everything, can we satisfy ourselves?'A gorgeous novel from one of our most outstanding writers' Bernardine Evaristo'Diana Evans is fast proving herself a novelist to rank alongside Anne Tyler' Daily Mail'A warm but devastating narrative... Like any Evans novel, it is unputdownable' Harper's BazaarA New York Times *100 Notable Books of 2023*Shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for Political FictionSelected in Best Reads of 2023 by The Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, Harper’s Bazaar, New Statesman and Good HousekeepingA Waterstones Book of the YearThe Bookseller Editor’s ChoiceThe New York Times Book Review Editors’ ChoiceStarred Kirkus ReviewGuardian Book of the DayTrade ReviewEvans's writing is...subtle but grounded, lyrical yet accessible. Her characters feel real, their interactions - particularly that tense space where the political and domestic meet - nuanced * Sunday Times *[An] ambitious tale of a family in contemporary London... [Evans's] wide cast of women are deftly drawn. There's heart and humour in abundance * The Times *The sheer vitality of Evans's dynamic prose... renders almost hypnotic her constant toggling between the prosaic and the metaphysical. There are some deft set pieces too, dramatising intimacy's most finely nuanced dynamics * Guardian *A warm but devastating narrative, dealing with the fallout of the Grenfell tragedy... Like any Evans novel, it is unputdownable * Harper's Bazaar, *Books to Look Out For 2023* *One of our most outstanding writers . . . A House for Alice [is] a stunning multi-generational kaleidoscope of London . . . Evans writes with exceptional profundity and is exemplary at exploring the inner workings of her fictional characters through a prose style so poetic you want to languish in her sentences. * Bernardine Evaristo, Vogue *A wise, tender novel about family and love that explores the tension between duty and desire and the question of what 'home' really means * Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane and Love Marriage *I adored it. Her writing is exquisite: every sentence a jewel; every paragraph containing some insight that makes you draw breath with its rightness * Elizabeth Day, author of How To Fail and Magpie *At every point, whether sad or funny, A House for Alice is compassionate and sharp * Telegraph *Ambitious in scope ... The story is engrossing and moving * Independent *Diana Evans is fast proving herself a novelist to rank alongside Anne Tyler, so adept is she at parsing life's longings and upheavals... highly enjoyable, tenderly wrought * Daily Mail *This intimate, melodic novel explores notions of home, family and long-held secrets * Mail on Sunday *A House For Alice is a sharp appraisal of loss. Evans writes deftly about the shifting intimacies between family * Raven Leilani, author of Luster *All is conjured with Evans's keen eye for human behaviour... Her prose is distinguished by its lively, lyrical energy, by its seemingly effortless expansiveness, and by masterful turns of phrase * Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton *'Diana Evans's writing is so singular, so arresting, characterful, and so beautiful . . . Evans is always, always on the finest of forms' * Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie and People Person *Mesmerising... Few writers describe with such inventiveness, eloquence and thoroughness, even in the most seemingly mundane situations. * Michael Donkor *This is a knowingly and at times devastatingly elegiac novel... through the delicacy of her [Evans's] prose, the deftness of her dialogue and the clarity of her observations, she manages to create a novel that measures up to life... A House for Alice...marks itself out as that rare thing: a sequel that feels necessary * Times Literary Supplement *Evans is a profoundly important chronicler of our times. Her velveteen prose is utterly precise, so detailed and artful . . . A writer at the top of her game * Leone Ross *Superb. A deeply enriching and profound novel. Diana Evans is one of our greatest writers. We're so lucky to have her * Irenosen Okojie, author of Nudibranch *'A poignant and elegant unfurling of the intricacies of family life - sensitively observed and beautifully written' * Nicola Rollock, author of The Racial Code *An orchestral, richly textured portrait of interconnected middle-class Black lives in contemporary London . . . Witty, poignant and emotionally acute * The Bookseller *A state-of-the-nation masterpiece... This is rich, multi-layered novel of interconnected lives... another rich, detailed portrait of not-so-ordinary people * Harper's Bazaar *Beautifully conceived, A House for Alice is a luminous, big-hearted novel about the people and things that enable us to find, keep and call somewhere a home * Financial Times *A rich evocation of south London, a poignant account of a dwindling marriage and a lovely celebration of music * Guardian *An impressive sequel to 2018's Ordinary People * Financial Times, *Summer Reads of 2023* *[A] tender yet political tale * Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2023* *Lyrical and excoriating * Guardian, *Books of the Year* *

Read more less

Book Synopsis***SHORTLISTED FOR FICTION - 2023 NERO BOOK AWARDS***After the death of a young girl, the finger of suspicion is pointing at one reclusive family…‘Gripping… A triumph’ SUNDAY TIMES‘Heartbreaking’ VOGUEIt’s 1990 in London and, after the death of a young girl on an estate, the finger of suspicion is pointing at one reclusive Irish family: the Greens.At their heart sits Carmel: beautiful, other-worldly, and once destined for a future beyond her circumstances until life – and love – got in her way. Now, as the scandal unfolds and the tabloids hunt their monster, she must confront the secrets and silences that have trapped her family for so many generations.***A DAILY TELEGRAPH, TIMES, NEW STATESMAN AND SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023***‘Daring, brilliant… Bold and beautiful’ DAILY TELEGRAPH‘Ambitious and original’ DAVID NICHOLLS‘A compulsive read’ THE TIMESTrade ReviewMegan Nolan's debut novel saw her grouped with other Irish millennial women such as Sally Rooney and Naoise Dolan. But with her ambitious and insightful second novel, Ordinary Human Failings, Nolan makes it clear she is not a manifestation of a type, but rather a writer to be read on her own terms * Financial Times *One masterful novel... Nolan has excelled herself: Ordinary Human Failings is a raw, pulsing thing... A writer who's still at the start of what promises to be a splendid career. Ordinary Human Failings is a bold and beautiful second novel... daring in all the right ways, but compassionate when it needs to be * Daily Telegraph *There is something wonderfully ordinary about this book... Nolan has set out to make a plain three-legged stool rather than an ornate grandfather clock. The corridors of contemporary literature are stuffed with grandfather clocks with faulty mechanisms. How much more valuable is this modest, well-made thing * Sunday Times *Nolan’s novel is dark in subject, yet retains a tender faith in a person’s, or a family’s, capacity for change * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *Ambitious and original… I loved its humanity and generosity… I can’t wait to read whatever comes next -- DAVID NICHOLLS, author of One Day and You Are HereTightly written, full of wisdom, insight and sympathy – terrific! -- CLARE CHAMBERS, author of Small PleasuresAs much of a compulsive read as the first novel * The Times *A subtle, accomplished and lyrical study of familial and intergenerational despair, a quiet book about quiet lives... An excellent novel: politically astute, furious and compassionate... A genuine achievement * Guardian *The millennial author everyone should be watching right now * Daily Telegraph *Nolan has crafted a novel full of brutal, illuminating truths * Sunday Times, *Books of the Year* *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe’s hit the big time…hasn’t she?Personal shopper, Annie Valentine, is presenting her own popular TV fashion series. But despite this being Annie’s dream job, success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and suddenly Annie is feeling the pressure! Especially as boyfriend Ed is left at home looking after their brand-new twin babies, whilst Annie comes to terms with fame. And as Annie gets more and more sucked into the celebrity showbiz world, she feels like she’s losing more and more of who she really is. Could the big break she’s always wanted, actually be a big mistake?Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Paige Toon will love this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from bestselling author Carmen Reid.What readers are saying!"If you love shopping as much as you love a great read, try this. Wonderful." Bestselling author, Katie Fforde"Annie Valentine is a wonderful character - I want her to burst into my life and sort out my wardrobe for me!" Bestselling author, Jill Mansell"You will enjoy getting to know Annie Valentine; laughing with her and crying with her. You may even fall in love with her . . . I have! A fantastic read!"⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review"Fantastic read, couldn't put it down" ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review"Can't wait to read the next one!"⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Lyrical' Daily Mail'Beautiful' Spectator'Skilled' Financial Times'Vulnerable' Guardian'Deft' Independent'Profound' Observer'The beginning of summer. Perhaps it crosses my mind even now while I wait for news of Amy that something is coming towards us. Like sighting the first slow swell of a wave.'Years ago, in an almost accidental moment of heroism, Ed saved Amy from drowning. Now, in his thirties, he finds himself adrift. He's been living in London for years - some of them good - but he's stuck in a relationship he can't move forward, has a job that just pays the bills, and can't shake the sense that life should mean more than this. Perhaps all Ed needs is a moment to pause. To exhale and start anew. And when he meets Amy again by chance, it seems that happiness might not be so far out of reach. But then tragedy overtakes him, and Ed must decide whether to let history and duty define his life, or whether he should push against the tide and write his own story.Filled with hope and characteristic warmth, Undercurrent is a moving and intimate portrait of love, of life and why we choose to share ours with the people we do.Trade ReviewNorris hits this universal note squarely and successfully. Undercurrent is a defiantly unfashionable, heartfelt, emotionally vulnerable novel about mothers and sons, letting go of the past and saying what you need to say to your loved ones before it's too late. * Guardian *A profound meditation on dealing with loss and finding your moorings in destabilising times * Observer *Always skilled at creating character and voice... Norris demonstrates how seemingly insignificant moments impact a life. * Financial Times *Beautiful and useful. His writing untangles the knots that tie us down, to families, to history. He writes to free us and deserves our thanks. * Spectator *Lyrical, yearning, elegiac * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLondon, 1918: the world is being torn apart by war, but for the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop, where there is friendship, there is hope… Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Elaine Everest.Ellen Beckford and her sister Mary are living under their father’s shadow. Before their beloved mother died, they had dreamed of bright futures, but torn apart by grief, Harold Beckford barely lets his daughters out of his sight. Then Harold is injured during a break-in at his office at London’s docklands, and can no longer work. And with prices rising and food scarce, Ellen has no choice but to defy her father’s rules and seek employment. She finds a position at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop, and the other shop girls quickly take her under their wing.But there are dark times ahead. Ellen’s father is accused of gathering intelligence from the docklands for the enemy, and the police seem determined to see him shot for spying. With the help of her new friends, can Ellen clear her father’s name and save her family from destitution?

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery family has its own mythology, but in this family none of the myths match up. Claudia's mother says she met her husband when she stopped him from jumping off a bridge. Her father says it happened when he saved her from an attempted robbery. Both parents are deaf but couldn't be more different; they can't even agree on how they met, much less who needed saving. Into this unlikely yet somehow inevitable union, our narrator is born. She comes of age with her brother in this strange, and increasingly estranged, household split between a small village in southern Italy and New York City. Without even sign language in common – their parents have not bothered to teach them – family communications are chaotic and rife with misinterpretations. An outsider in every way, she longs for a freedom she's not even sure exists. Only books and punk rock – and a tumultuous relationship – begin to show her the way to create her own mythology, to construct her own version of the story of her life. Kinetic, formally daring, and strikingly original, Strangers I Know is a funny and profound portrait of an unconventional family that makes us look anew at how language shapes our understanding of ourselves.Trade Review‘Formally innovative and emotionally complex, this novel explores themes of communication, family, and belonging with exceptional insight. Durastanti, celebrated in Italy for her intelligent voice and her hybrid perspective, speaks to all who are outside and in-between. ‘Strangers I Know, in a bracing translation by Elizabeth Harris, is stunning.’ — Jhumpa Lahiri author of Whereabouts‘Brave and deeply felt... Here the novel is not only a medium of illumination, but also a buoy cast into the dark waters of memory, imagination, and boldly embodied questions. In other words, it is my favorite kind of writing, the kind that not only tells of the world – but burrows through it, alive.’ — Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous‘Claudia Durastanti's writing is lyrical and sharp, underpinned with a searching gaze that turns the everyday into something darkly beautiful. Every page feels totally, absorbingly alive.’ — Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure‘Playful, looping, atmospheric and funny, Strangers I Know is a singular achievement, one of those rare books that expanded my understanding of what a novel can do. Claudia Durastanti is an absolutely thrilling writer.’ — Lauren Groff, author of Matrix‘There is much exquisite characterisation in Strangers I Know by Durastanti, as well as barbed and profound musings on the class system…’ — Buzz Magazine‘Durastanti is a superb writer whose text is fluid, descriptions taut and original, whose whole novel gradually unfolds into a web of associations, possibilities and interwoven stories within stories that highlight how families, distant and near, misunderstand, confuse and love each other.’ — Rupert Loydell, International Times ‘In this moving family portrait [Durastanti] depicts personal calamities and failings with frankness, but the glimpses of violence and loneliness throughout shimmer with a sense of acceptance and the “useless power of forgiveness”.’ — Vilma De Gasperin, TLS

Read more less

Book SynopsisJeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O' Nine Tales, is one of the world's favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in ninety-seven countries and in more than thirty-seven languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).Jeffrey is also an art collector, sports lover, and amateur auctioneer, conducting numerous charity auctions every year. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two grandsons and a granddaughter.Trade ReviewI guarantee that anyone who takes this book from the shelves will not be able to put it down -- Jerry Hayes * The Spectator *Probably the greatest storyteller of our age * The Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA moving historical novel inspired by the German occupation of the Channel Islands during WW2. This is a story of courage, resilience and everyday acts of defiance from ordinary people forced to live in an extraordinary time.The USA Today bestseller!June 1940While her little sister Rosie is sent to the UK to keep her safe from the invading German army, Estelle Le Maistre is left behind on Jersey to help her grandmother run the family farm. When the Germans occupy the island, everything changes and Estelle and the islanders must face the reality of life under Nazi rule.Interspersed with diary entries from Rosie back on the mainland, the novel is also inspired by real life stories from the author's own family who were both on the island during the occupation and in London during the Blitz and is a true testament to the courage and bravery of the islanders.Readers are loving An Island at War: A mesmerizing' story of a island captured by the Nazi''s in World War II' DebbieI fell head over Trade Review Readers love Deborah Carr: ‘A book that drew me in…I cuddle up on my reading chair and entered the world of Boots’ Abby ‘Vibrant, believable, characters and an absorbing plot’ Tabby ‘This will definitely pull at your heartstrings…Loved it’ Beverley ‘I’m so glad this is the beginning of a series and I can't wait to read the rest! Wonderfully written’ Grace ‘If you like historical novels this is a book for you’ Bookoholic Cafe ‘A gorgeous start to a new historical series that captivated, charmed and inspired me’ Adele ‘A great and powerful read about love, relationships, and the trials and tribulations in between…a true thrill’ Donna ‘Watch this author–this is a series you'll want to stick with’ Micah

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling novel from one of America's greatest contemporary writers.Larry Cook's farm is the largest in Zebulon County, Iowa, and a tribute to his hard work and single-mindedness. Proud and possessive, his sudden decision to retire and hand over the farm to his three daughters, is disarmingly uncharacteristic.Ginny and Rose, the two eldest, are startled yet eager to accept, but Caroline, the youngest daughter, has misgivings. Immediately, her father cuts her out.In A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley transposes the King Lear story to the modern day, and in so doing at once illuminates Shakespeare's original and subtly transforms it. This astonishing novel won both of America's highest literary awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics' Circle Award.Trade Review‘A Thousand Acres is a strong, gnarled shocker of a novel… superb. Its success is down to Smiley’s ambitious gusto, her intuitive handling of the relationship between character and landscape, and her willingness to haul genuine moral freight across the panorama she has so expertly painted.’ Sunday Times ‘Epic fiction of the very highest order, naturalistic , penetrating and wholly absorbing.’ Literary Review ‘Superlative, extraordinary, amazing. A Thousand Acres is a great American tragedy about the failure of a family’s land and the failure of its love. There may have been better novels than A Thousand Acres, but I fear I didn’t read them – a haunting inquisition into the decline and fall of a family.’ Independent ‘A studied, ingenious variation on the brutal clashing of sexes and generations in King Lear. Its style is relaxed, conversational, unhurried; the novel flows gently onwards like a broad river. In its solidity and poise, A Thousand Acres is a book that will outlast this year’s rainy season.’ Vogue‘Powerful, poignant, intimate and involving.’ New York Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author and master storyteller David Baldacci, Wish You Well is a dramatic and enthralling tale of family unity in the face of adversity.Tragedy strikes the New York-based Cardinal family when their car is involved in a terrible accident. Twelve-year-old Lou and seven-year-old Oz survive, but the crash leaves their father dead and their mother in a coma. It would seem their world has been shattered forever until their great-grandmother, Louisa Mae, agrees to raise the children on her Virginia mountain farm.But before long their rural idyll is threatened by the discovery of natural gas on the mountain. Determined to protect her home from the ravages of big business, Louisa Mae refuses to sell, but when the neighbours hear of the potential wealth the company could bring, they begin to turn against her. And now the Cardinal family find themselves ensnared in another battle, to be played out in a crowded Virginia courtroom: a battle for justice, for survival, and for the right to stay together in the only place they know as home.Filled with both rich humour and desperate poignancy, Wish You Well is a tale of family, faith, humanity and prejudice, set in the 1940s against the magical backdrop of the Virginia high rock.Trade ReviewBaldacci triumphs with his best novel yet, an utterly captivating drama. This novel has a huge heart * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less